JFS is a yearly program for WMU Sasakawa Fellows, in which the Ship & Ocean Foundation invites the first year students to Japan and gives them opportunities to discuss maritime matters with various people in maritime fields as well as to enhance their knowledge about Japan.

　JFS this year was held from July 27 to August 4:

　

1) Visiting The Nippon Foundation (Jul. 29)

　At The Nippon Foundation the students found out about its broad range of worldwide activities. Mr. Sasakawa, President of the Nippon Foundation and the Chairman of "Friends of WMU, Japan" talked with the students about various matters. Mr. Sasakawa said that ocean-related issues will emerge this century, that the sea is communal property and that through "Friends of WMU, Japan", graduates of WMU can exchange information and opinions internationally.

　

　

2) Visiting the Tokyo Area (Jul. 29-30)

　The students learned a lot by visiting the Ministry of Land, infrastructure and Transport, technical institutes, a shipping association and the Port of Tokyo. Invited to a reception, they talked with over a hundred Japanese in the maritime community including members of "Friends of WMU, Japan".

　

　

3) Visiting Shikoku, Chugoku, Kobe and Kyoto (Jul. 31-Aug. 3)

　The students had a look at the maritime traffic in the very congested Seto Inland Sea. Then they inspected shipyards and ports and talked with officials about Japan' s maritime industry.

　They also saw educational/training facilities at the Kobe University of Mercantile Marine and the Marine Technical College, and greatly enjoyed the welcome parties.

　At Himeji Castle and in Kyoto, they studied Japanese history.

　The tour had quite a hard schedule in the heat of summer, but the students handled everything well and hopefully will get good results in their studies. They reached Malmö by midnight on Sunday to start the new semester on Monday morning.

　

　

　

　This meeting was organized at Port Klang taking the opportunity of attending the donation ceremony of a buoy tender.

Malaysia: Capt. Wan Shukry Bin Wan Karma, Mr. Krishnan Balakrishnan, Capt. Zainal Akbar Bin Abdul Samad, Mr. Lee Tze Kheong, Mr. Lee Chnua Yee and Mr. Leong Peng Loo
Japan: Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Mr. Eisuke Kudo, Mr. Michio Hidaka, and Mr. Toshihisa Yamasaki

　Each Fellow introduced his current position and assignment. Mr. Sasakawa expressed his recognition of the importance of worldwide communication in maritime fields and the contribution of WMU graduates in this area. In a separate meeting between the Fellows and SOF, the following points were raised:

　

　

　Dr. Tran Dac Suu and Dr. Dang Van Uy visited The Nippon Foundation. Dr. Suu is the Rector of Vietnam Maritime University and had been elected as a member of Vietnamese Congress this May. Dr. Uy is the Vice Rector of the University.

　They came to Japan to attend a launching ceremony of a bulk carrier, which is owned by a Japanese ship owner and will be manned by graduate students from the Vietnam Maritime University Mr. Sasakawa and visitors exchanged conversation mainly about the following:

　

　

Philippines: Mr. Luis Tuason Jr., Mr. Ramon Hernandez, Mr. Ramon Liwag, Mr. Rolando Ricafrente, Ms. Sonia B. Malaluan, Mr. Benjamin Dela Cuesta, Mr. Eduardo Fabricante, Mr. Joseph Badajos
Japan: Mr. Haruo Shibazaki, Mr. Tsutomu Inuzuka, Mr. Hideo Kubota, Mr. Toshihisa Yamasaki, Mr. Hideki Maruyama

　

　

Vietnam: Dr. Tran Dac Suu, Mr. Pham Hai Bang, Mr. Dao Dinh Tien and Mr. Vu The Quang

Japan: Mr. Eisuke Kudo, Mr. Michio Hidaka, Mr. Toshihisa Yamasaki and Mr. Yasuo Tsuchiya